(04/16/20) Arkansas COVID-19 cases up to 1,620 At Governor Asa Hutchinson’s daily COVID-19 press conference, the following updates as of 1:30 p.m. were shared:
- 1,620 total confirmed cases (up 51 from 1,569 on April 15)
- 105 confirmed cases in Garland County (from the ADH COVID-19 status page)
- 1,035 active cases, which discounts recoveries and deaths
- 85 COVID-19 patients in the hospital (up two)
- 21 patients currently on a ventilator (down five)
- 37 COVID-19-related deaths (up four)
- 223 healthcare workers with COVID-19 (up eight); 81 recovered
Hutchinson and Dr. Nate Smith both shared that although the graphs showing new cases and hospitalizations are seemingly beginning to plateau, Arkansans need to continue to follow the mitigation guidelines and continue to flatten the curve.
Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston shared the launch of a new website: arunemployment.com. The unemployment hotline (1-844-908-2178) also has extended its hours of operation to 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with additional workers answering phone calls. For those who are self-employed, freelance or contract workers, and are still awaiting the unemployment program to be launched, they can sign up for the new email alert system for status updates at bit.ly/3e5qZWd. With regards to the Small Business Association (SBA) loans provided by the CARES Act, a total of 14,803 Arkansas businesses have been approved for payroll protection, equating to around $2.1 billion.